Weakened hydrogen bonds in water confined between lipid bilayers: the existence of a long-range attractive hydration force

Abstract

Stronger or weaker H-bonds? H-bonds in interlamellar water in partially hydrated lipid multibilayers are stronger with respect to bulk water. In contrast, the authors show by ATR-FTIR spectroscopy that the H-bonds are weaker in multibilayers in excess water (see spectra). This finding is of biological relevance for water-mediated phenomena in membranes.